Pakistan reach maiden Asian Games cricket final after Samad and Nawaz sink Bangladesh
Samad and Nawaz steer Pakistan into historic Asian Games final
NISSHIN, Japan — Abdul Samad and Hasan Nawaz produced composed late-order cameos to guide Pakistan into the final of the men's cricket event at the Asian Games for the very first time, sealing a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a weather-shortened semifinal at the Korogi Sports Park on Monday.
Reduced to 13 overs a side because of a wet outfield, the contest saw Pakistan stumble to 53 for 4 in pursuit of 112 before Nawaz (30 not out off 15) and Samad (27 not out off 22) dragged them home with nine balls to spare.
A shaky start to the chase
Pakistan's run chase began precariously when they lost skipper Sahibzada Farhan in the opening over. Maaz Sadaqat, who turned heads during the recent Caribbean Premier League season, flashed a six and a four in the second over but fell in the same passage for a seven-ball 15. Saim Ayub gave Mustafizur Rahman some early treatment with two sixes and a four, only for the seamer to have the last laugh as Ayub picked out deep mid-wicket.
The surface offered plenty of assistance to the spinners, and Rishad Hossain exploited it ruthlessly, beating the bat and looking unplayable before dismissing Usman Khan to push the asking rate up. At that stage, Pakistan were genuinely in trouble.
The match-winning stand
Nawaz took charge first, launching a couple of meaty blows off Nasum Ahmed, before Samad wrestled back the momentum. He disrupted a tight Shoriful Islam over by lapping him to the fine-leg fence, trimming the equation to 36 from the last four overs. Mustafizur Rahman then bore the brunt of Samad's aggression, offering too many freebies that the right-hander feasted upon.
Samad cleared the long-on fence with a slot delivery and was handed further reprieves when an inside edge evaded a diving Litton Das behind the stumps. Unfazed, he plundered three more boundaries to cap a 23-run over that effectively shut the door on Bangladesh. Rishad Hossain was bizarrely held back for the penultimate over despite an over left in his armoury — by then the game was already Pakistan's. Nawaz sealed the chase with a boundary off the legspinner.
How Bangladesh set 112
Opting to field first, Pakistan leaned heavily on spin to exploit the conditions. Saif Hassan and Tanzid Hasan Tamim struck a six apiece in the opening two overs before Tanzid perished attempting another big shot. Ayub, conceding just three runs from his two overs, bowled Litton Das with a reverse-sweep carrom ball, and Arafat Minhas grabbed his second by having Parvez Hossain Emon hole out to deep square leg.
Abrar Ahmed proved expensive, and Bangladesh made the most of deliveries in their arc — Saif broke free with a six and Towhid Hridoy slog-swept one over deep mid-wicket in the same over. Sufyan Moqim trapped Saif leg-before, but Hridoy swung the momentum with a 25-ball 42, clipping Moqim past short third and launching a six over mid-wicket, while a Mohammad Wasim full toss also sailed over long-off. Hridoy piled on Abrar with a four and a six before Moqim struck twice in the penultimate over to remove him and Mosaddek Hossain. Mahedi Hasan added a late boundary, but Pakistan's 15 wides across the innings helped Bangladesh to 111 for 7.
Brief Scores
Bangladesh 111/7 in 13 overs (Towhid Hridoy 42, Saif Hassan 19; Sufyan Moqim 3-26, Arafat Minhas 2-23) lost to Pakistan 112/4 in 11.3 overs (Abdul Samad 30*, Hasan Nawaz 27*, Saim Ayub 21; Rishad Hossain 1-12) by 6 wickets.
With a maiden Asian Games final secured, Pakistan now await the winners of the other semifinal for the gold medal.